Business
Growers must also pay close attention to the costs of doing business on the farm. As costs of inputs such as fuel and fertilizers continue to increase, growers must find new ways to increase efficiency and help consumers understand the value of their products. By keeping costs under control and selling product at a fair price, growers are able to expand the industry in New York.
BUSINESS CATEGORIES
Relevant Event
Cornell Willsboro Research Farm
Elisabeth Hodgdon, Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Tucked away in the Champlain Valley within the Adirondack Park blue line lies a hidden gem amongst Cornell University's properties: The Cornell Willsboro Research Farm in Willsboro, Essex County. The farm, a 352-acre property, has served as the site of several Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Program research projects over the years. While not our typical "feature farm" story, I wanted to highlight the Willsboro Farm to let our readers know about this resource and opportunities to interact with our work and staff there. As part of the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station network, the Willsboro Farm hosts projects and outreach events to support crop production in Northern New York and beyond.
Grant Opportunities to Help NY Farmers Protect Soil and Water Quality
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball today announced two grant opportunities totaling $21 million for projects that will help New York's farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote energy savings, mitigate water and soil quality concerns, and increase on-farm resiliency to climate change.
Putting Your Best Foot Forward in Retail Marketing
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
No matter how good your products are, retail success is driven by how well you market them. Here are 5 marketing tips to help increase traffic and sales at your farm market this season: Tip #1 - Check Your Signage: No matter how nice your market looks, people must be able to find it. Signs directing the customer to the market should be attractive, eye-catching, and easy to read from a distance. Signs should be visible far enough in advance to give the customer adequate time to decide to stop at the market and to safely enter the parking area.
NYS Tax Filing and Withholding Requirements for New Employers
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Hiring an employee can be a big step for a farm business. In addition to the challenges of managing a new employee, there are lots of laws and regulations to comply with. This article covers your main requirements for reporting new employees to the state, withholding tax, unemployment, and wage reporting.
Onboarding Your Seasonal Workers
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
We are getting near that time of year when you will be hiring and training your seasonal workforce. The Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Team (ENYCH) and the Lake Ontario Fruit Team (LOFT) have been collaborating with the Cornell Ag Workforce Development Program to develop resources for you to streamline the process and paperwork of hiring new employees. This winter we reorganized many of those resources into a website to make them more accessible.
2022 Empire State Producers Expo
Crystal Stewart-Courtens, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
In January the Empire State Producers Expo will gather 900 attendees from the vegetable, small fruit and bedding plant/cut flower sectors in Syracuse for 3 days of educational classes on a huge variety of production-oriented, business management, environmental stewardship, food safety, marketing, and soil health topics. The Expo's trade show boasts a full collection of ag support and supply businesses serving the produce industry. This year the Expo will also offer scholarships for attendance, a youth-education day (FFA Day), more hands-on learning opportunities and opportunities for grower networking.
Effects of NY Ag Overtime Laws on Production Costs and Competitiveness
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
The Farm Laborer Fair Labor Practices Act (FLFLPA) regulating New York farm employers went into effect on January 1, 2020. Under the FLFLPA, overtime and day of rest rules were put in place for most non-supervisory, non-family farm employees. This meant that the overtime threshold for hired employees in New York agriculture now begins at 60 hours. In addition, the minimum wage for upstate New York continues to increase. The New York Farm Labor Wage Board decided in late 2020 to keep the threshold at 60 hours for 2021 with the intention to revisit the policy with more data and analysis. The Dyson School at Cornell recently conducted a research project to examines the economic effects of New York overtime laws on farms in 2020 as well as assesses potential effects of lowering the limit.
RMA Publishes Proposed Changes to the Apple Crop Insurance Policy
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
A few years ago, apple growers in NYS attended listening sessions to provide feedback to the USDA RMA's apple crop insurance program. USDA has just published a proposed rule that changes the program based on this feedback and is soliciting comments through the Federal Register until February 14th, 2022. The following press release discusses a few of the changes that are proposed, including higher insured price levels for direct marketed apples.
The Next Generation of Farmers
Teresa Rusinek, Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
ENYCHP has launched a new peer development and risk management program for next generation growers. The program is targeted to farmers in multi-generational farm operations looking to move into a leadership or ownership position on the family or other farm. The program offers opportunities to gain production and business skills while networking with peers in the region.
Chapter 12 Bankruptcy - A Tool for Farm Businesses with High Debt Levels
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
A Chapter 12 Bankruptcy is a process, where a farmer, or farm family, under the protection of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, proposes a plan for treatment of the farm's creditors which achieves the goals of the farmer.
How Do You Know your Pricing is Right and Your Investment is Protected?
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Frequently growers contact us asking about pricing for vegetable crops. This usually occurs just as the marketing season takes off. Answering this question is difficult for many reasons. There are no set rules for coming up with the appropriate prices for any crop and many factors come into play. What is needed is for growers to know what it cost them to grow it.
Pandemic Assistance Grant
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
The recently announced USDA Pandemic Response and Safety (PRS) Grant Program provides grants between $1,500 to $20,000 to farmers of eligible commodities[1][2], businesses that provide post-harvest packing and sorting of specialty crops, food processors/manufacturers (including meat slaughter and processing), food wholesalers (including food hubs), all farmers markets, and businesses offering refrigerated warehousing and storage of food products to respond to coronavirus, including for measures to protect workers against COVID-19.
Best Management Practices for Agritourism During COVID-19
Laura McDermott, Team Leader, Small Fruit and Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Agritourism is a critical activity and marketing approach for many of our farms, particularly in the fall. It provides customers with a unique outdoor opportunity for farm-based entertainment and food system education, as well the opportunity to purchase fresh produce grown close to home. This document provides management and communication strategies for agritourism activities for the 2020 season to support farms as they navigate the COVID-19 outbreak.
Resources for COVID-Testing Farm Employees
Dan Donahue, Tree Fruit Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Best Management Practices for U-Pick Farms During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Laura McDermott, Team Leader, Small Fruit and Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
U-Pick is a critical direct marketing approach for many of our farms and provides
customers with a unique connection to fresh produce grown close to home. In light
of what we understand about the spread of COVID-19, new management practices
will be needed to protect your farm team and your customers. This document
provides recommended practices and communication strategies for U-Pick
operations for the 2020 season.
January 2019 Grants for Farmers (powerpoint presentation)
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
The PowerPoint file and link to the YouTube video of the January 2019 Grants for Farmers Webinar
Heroin and Opioid Addiction and Rural America
Maire Ullrich, Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
The heroin and opioid epidemic has spread across the country in the last decade, and overdose deaths in rural areas are now surpassing those in urban areas. Access to prevention, treatment, and support services are typically lacking in rural or farming communities, leading to untreated addiction and increased overdose deaths. Additionally, recent reports show that those who work in occupations with higher rates of injury (farming, construction, roofing, etc.) where workers are less able to take time off to heal are more likely to medicate acute or chronic pain symptoms with opioids, leading to increased likelihood of addiction (MADPH, 2018).
Move from Good to Great in Ag Labor Management This Season
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
As a fruit and vegetable farmer, labor is one of your most important resources but being a manager also exposes you to risks. To help prepare you for the 2019 growing season, the Eastern NY Commercial Hort Team, in collaboration with the Cornell Small Farms Program and the Cornell Ag Workforce Development Program and the Cornell Farmworker Program, is offering many opportunities for farmers and farm managers to improve their skills and gain important information in labor management this winter.
The Changing CSA - Data from CSAs in the USA and Eastern NY
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
A 2017 report by USDA-AMS and the University of Kentucky is highlighting key trends in CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) in the United States and these trends are echoed in data I have collected on CSA farms in Eastern New York. In Community Supported Agriculture - New Models for Changing Markets the authors Timothy Woods, Matthew Ernst, and Debra Tropp surveyed 495 CSAs in the USA and then conducted case-studies of six CSAs. They found several changes compared to a national CSA survey, conducted in 20012. They found (1) increasing competition, from other CSAs and from other market channels (2) increasing focus on customer service and choice and (2) growth of multi-farm and alternative types of CSAs. They also found a decline in the number of certified organic CSAs. In 2001 49% of CSA farms were certified organic. In the 2017 survey only 27% were certified organic. These trends are echoed in data I collected on 106 CSAs in Eastern NY in 2017 and 20183 (Figure 1). For example, I found that 26% of Eastern New York CSAs were USDA Certified Organic, like the national percentage.
Technical Assistance Grant for Hiring and Managing Ag Employees
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Smart Farming Teams
The Cornell Small Farm's Program Labor Ready Farmer Project is offering grants to provide up to 12 hours of Technical Assistance (TA) consulting services to farms who want to make improvements to their farm's processes in hiring, training, managing or evaluating employees. Applicants will choose from one of the following four areas for TA assistance and identify a specific project. If selected they will be matched with a "Smart Farming Team" of consultants who will provide one on one technical assistance. Eligible applicants are: Beginning Farmers (10 or fewer years in farm ownership); NextGen Farmers (family members working on existing farms who are in line for succession, but do not own the farm yet - a NextGen farmer who has fewer than 10 years of farm ownership on a family farm could apply as a Beginning Farmer); Existing farm managers on a farm who is being groomed for succession of the farm or who plans to start their own farm - with the support of the farm owner. There is also support for Latino farm workers who are looking to move into managerial roles on farms.
Application Deadline: Please Submit by January 31, 2019
Supplemental Coverage Options for Apples
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Apple growers in New York are starting to see a new crop insurance option in some counties, Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO). I had a couple of questions about it in Ulster County last fall. Now that we are nearing time to sign up for crop insurance again, let's dig in a little deeper - what is SCO and why might you consider it?
Starting A Farm Business Resource Sheet
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Farmers Market Directory of the Region

Looking for a new farmers market to sell to this year? This is a listing of all farmers markets located in the 17 county region that the ENYCHP covers for 2018.
Get into eCommerce with FreshFoodNY

Are you concerned that your farmers' market sales are flat? Have you thought of trying to bump up interest in current and prospective customers?
The Farmers' Market Federation of NY has found an excellent on-line app that will help you access the ecommerce marketplace. The technical support is high and the company, Crave Foods, is motivated.
Eight Farm Management Tips for the 2018 Season
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
A good time to make New Year's resolutions is at the start of the new growing season. This year why don't you try adopting one or more of the following 8 key management strategies of good managers on your farm.
How to Grow Better Workers - Eight Farm Management Tips for the 2018 Season
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture

A good time to make New Year's resolutions is at the start of the new growing season. This year why don't you try adopting one or more of the following 8 key management strategies of good managers on your farm. They might help you help get your employees off to a good start this year.
Making the Leap to Owner-Operator: Are you Labor Ready?
Ethan Grundberg, Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture

Deciding to start a farm can present a multitude of challenges. Do you have access to suitable farmland? Have you identified your markets? What equipment are you going to need to put your plan into practice? Will you need to borrow money to start your business? While the question "who is going to do all of the work on the farm?" is also usually on that short list of things that keep aspiring farmers up at night, it is much less common for new growers to ask themselves "do I have the tools and experience necessary to be an effective manager of farm employees?"
Supervising Seasonal and Temporary Workers: Special Considerations
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture

Most fruit and vegetable farms need to hire people on a temporary seasonal basis. The short length of time which seasonal employees will be on your farm does require some special considerations. Although these workers are only on your farm for a little while, they contribute to the success of your farm business. Below are some tips for getting the best contribution out of your seasonal farm staff.
Guide on How to Purchase at the NYS Produce Auctions
Judson Reid, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program

A produce auction is a wholesale market for regionally grown produce. Currently there are eight produce auctions in New York State offering a wide variety of produce at competitive prices. This guide will provide basic information on the terminology of the auction, as well as how to purchase produce at these unique markets.
Grape Insurance
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Its time to buy apple insurance 2017
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2017 NENY & VT Winter Grape School Presentations
Anna Wallis, Tree Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Presentations from the the Northeastern NY & VT Winter Grape School held March 9, 2017 in Lake George.
Crop Insurance for Grape Growers
Anne Mills, Field Technician
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
This slideshow was presented at the 2017 winter grape school in Kingston, NY.
Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)
Anne Mills, Field Technician
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
•Crops grown commercially
•against production losses due to damaging weather, adverse natural occurrences and related conditions
•Which are not insured by Risk Management Agency Insurance programs
•Except for Pilot & Written Policies
•During the coverage period
•Starts on December 20th
•Ends on November 20th
2017 Winter Tree Fruit School Presentations
Anna Wallis, Tree Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Presentations given at the 2017 Eastern NY Commercial Tree Fruit Schools are available by clicking on the following links.
Materials from Ag Business Programs
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture

Ag Business Tax Incentives
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture

Link to webpage of ag business tax incentives - emphasis on fruit and vegetable producers in NYS
Reccent USDA Final Rule changes prevented planting provisions in crop insurance
Elizabeth Higgins, Business Management Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Pricing Over Time and an Adjustment Using a Consumer Price Index
Jesse Strzok, Production Economics Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
How do we figure out price changes over time in real terms to account for inflation and cost-of-living adjustments? We use a consumer price index (CPI) which is a price index based on what average consumers buy. Using this information and known prices we can calculate real price changes over time.
Farm Progress Show's Driverless Tractor Steals the Show
Jesse Strzok, Production Economics Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture

USDA - Legal Best Practices for the Wholesale Farmer
Average Weekly Farmers Market Prices
Abigail Henderson, Senior Administrative Assistant
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture

Look here to find the weekly average prices for fruits, vegetables, and meats from Farmers Markets in the Mid-Hudson, Albany, Saratoga-Lake George, and Northern Regions.
Farming and Agricultural Supplies List
Check out our list of the following Agricultural Resources!
Agricultural Organizations
Custom Spraying
Drainage
Equipment
Farm & Food Sanitation
Fertilizers & Feed
Fencing
Food Processing
Irrigation
Land Management
Land Preservation
Farmers Market Associations
Bee Keeping
Auctions
Consulting
Loans
Construction
Excavation
Insurance
High Tunnels
Maple Supplies
Grain Buyers
Grapes
Organic Certification
Soil Testing
Presentations - 2016 Winter Tree Fruit Schools
Sarah Elone, Field Technician
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Presentations given at the 2016 Commercial Tree Fruit Schools in Lake George (LG) and Kingston in the Hudson Valley (HV) are available by clicking on the following links.
Presentations - 2015 Winter Tree Fruit Schools
Presentations given at the 2015 Commercial Tree Fruit Schools in Lake George (LG) and Kingston in the Hudson Valley (HV) are available by clicking on the following links.
2014 Veraison to Harvest Issue #1 (pdf)
Jim O'Connell, Small Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Veraion to Harvest Issue #1
Veraison to Harvest is a weekly electronic newsletter put out by viticulture and enology extension personnel from Lake Erie, Long Island, the Hudson Valley and the Finger Lakes. Each issue will hopefully have accurate and up-to-date regional data while giving a statewide perspective as well. V to H begins in early September and concludes in late October.
Labor and Recordkeeping Forms Part 1
Matthew Wells, Production Economics & Business Management
Lake Ontario Fruit Program
Labor and record keeping forms needed for farms. Pdf files for DOL Seasonal & Migrant workers Terms of Employment Form (english & spanish) and Pay Notice & Work Agreement for Farm Workers are included.
Labor and Recordkeeping Forms Part 2
Matthew Wells, Production Economics & Business Management
Lake Ontario Fruit Program
Labor and record keeping forms needed for farms. Pdf files for Daily Record of Crew and Emergency Contact Form are included.
Labor and Recordkeeping Forms Part 3
Matthew Wells, Production Economics & Business Management
Lake Ontario Fruit Program
Labor and recordkeeping forms for farms. Pdf files for Today's Picker Record Blank, Weekly Picker Sheet (horizontal), and Weekly Picker Sheet (vertical).
Labor and Recordkeeping Forms Part 4
Matthew Wells, Production Economics & Business Management
Lake Ontario Fruit Program
Labor and recordkeeping forms for farm. Pfd files for Delivery Sheet & Driver Information Sheet For Storage.
Labor and Recordkeeping Forms Part 5
Matthew Wells, Production Economics & Business Management
Lake Ontario Fruit Program
Labor and recordkeeping forms make it easier to keep track of all the important details on your farm. These forms are available in .pdf format below.
Regulations, forms, and posters for Agriculture Employers
Regulations, forms, and posters required for growers can be found in the following links.
Collaborative Marketing for Small Farms

Collaborative marketing is a realistic solution for small- to mid-size farms that are seeking access to larger markets, but are unable to individually serve such accounts. In collaborative marketing, several like-minded producers join together formally to market and distribute farm products, but not necessarily under the governance or control of a cooperative.
Generally, small farms should consider temporary, limited-scale collaborative projects before developing substantial business agreements. Such arrangements can be a simple as consignment sales, or as complex as a corporation dedicated to marketing and distribution.


Upcoming Events
Agricultural Supervisory Leadership Certificate Program
June 17, 2022
June 23, 2022
June 30, 2022
July 7, 2022
July 14, 2022
July 21, 2022
July 28, 2022
Supervisors are critical to the success of farm businesses. They have a major impact both on employees' daily work experiences and on the production performance of the business. The agricultural Supervisory Leadership certificate helps farm supervisors and managers learn and apply human resource management practices and leadership skills that foster rewarding workplaces and drive business results. Confident managers who thoughtfully apply leadership and management skills improve employee performance, develop teams, reduce employee turnover, and increase employee engagement. The courses within the certificate program will offer extensive practice and engagement activities to build confidence and skill sets.
Getting the Most Out of Every Pass - Calibrating Airblast Sprayers for Best Results
June 29 - June 30, 2022
University of New Hampshire Extension Field Specialist Emeritus, George Hamilton will demonstrate the importance of and best techniques to calibrate air blast sprayers. Proper calibration will ensure effective, efficient, economical and legal spraying. Inadequate spray coverage is usually the cause of poor spray efficacy and additional spray applications. Overuse of some sprays results in unhealthy residues and can lead to fines.
Calibration should be done several times each season, or when you incorporate any new equipment or repairs - from the tractor to the nozzle. Join us for a refresher or send new employees for training. This workshop is open for any grower that relies on an airblast sprayer to deliver plant protectants to fruit or vegetable crops.
Peru Weed Management and Soil Health Field Day

July 20, 2022
Peru, NY
Join us in Peru on July 20th as we discuss orchard weed and soil management! Speakers will be joining us from across Cornell's research and extension teams. Topics will include the results of our herbicide timing trials, new vision-guided technologies for orchard weed spraying, organic weed management options, soil health demonstrations, and a discussion on our statewide orchard soil health survey. DEC credits are pending for this event.